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renreadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and War
leahpote's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, and Sexual harassment
booksalacarte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Contemporary Fantasy
Dark Romantasy
Magical realism
1st Person
Dual POV
Fae
Enemies to lovers
Stockholm syndrome
Trials
Twist
Tw: sexual assault, confinement, murder
This is a fun time, more than a good time.
For how short this fantasy book was, there was a lot going on… It was trying to be a lot of things in 320 pages. Cliche dialogue, typical plot… but the ending had a decent twist that only had the tiniest foreshadowing. So it was a decent surprise.
The POV overlap was really not great. I was annoyed at reading the same moments but from a different POV. It slowed the pacing down a lot. The fantasy aspect didn’t start until almost 1/2 way through the book…it felt like a lot of build up in a world where none of the action took place.
The FMC was portrayed as biology Barbie. Not really someone I wanted to root for. I was very confused by her as the FMC in a fantasy. It didn’t track. She starts out not cursing… and replacing words in a ‘The Good Place’ way, then curses in the second half of the book. She‘s inconsistent and not not a trustworthy narrator.
The MMC is a prince who is numb except when he kills. That’s it. That’s his personality. Got it. And unoriginal with his shadow powers. It is what it is at this point.
I’m hoping that the next book gets better. It was indie published and picked up before the second book was done, so maybe things get better with a good editor? It’s the same length… So jury is out. I’m reading book 2 because I got it from the library with the first one and I’m a little curious with the ending. If book 2 is the same, I’ll be done.
The longer I think about it, the lower i want to rate the book… but I was fine while reading it…
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
noellelovesbooks's review against another edition
4.5
"Please be aware this story contains content that might be troubling to some readers, including but not limited to violence, abuse (physical, mental, emotional, verbal), kidnapping, death and dying, gore, mental illness, bones, hospitalization, profanity, snakes, sex, poison- ing."
Even though I'm moved away from my reading group 🥹 I'm trying to keep up with what they're reading so I know what's going on lol so since their meet up is tomorrow...and I couldn't sleep last night...I stayed up and read the whole book.
All I knew about this book, before reading, was that it had some people yelling at their cameras on Tiktok and that the fey were somehow involved...and I was not disappointed.
Don't get me wrong our alphahole had me rolling my eyes with his threats more than anything but at the same time I loved seeing our ladies inner confidence grow and don't even get me started on that curveball ending.
I need sleep...and then I'll be needing to dive into book 2.
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
saranwrap18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ashley_a_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The characters were interesting the MMC was a little two dimensional and the fact that either of them “fell in love” felt rushed and not believable. I’ll read on in the series, but it definitely could have used a bit more developmental editing.
Graphic: Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
haleydeppert's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
reading_kim_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Murder
chb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
christyreads_n_rambles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Callie must fight to survive or she will never return home.
WOW
I must say I was SCARED to read this book after the hype around it on booktok, but I am so glad I picked it up, this is my first 5 star read of 2024! It is slow to start but honestly what Fantasy book isn't, you have to build the story.
What I liked
-Duel POVs
-Developing characters
-Easy to follow fantasy
-Morally Grey MMC
-Strong willed FMC
-Plot twist
-Adventure and Action Packed
-Spicy
-Enemies to Lovers??
Moderate: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Murder, and Toxic friendship